Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) in Mysuru hosted a unique summer programme to instil scientific inquisitiveness among students of government high schools. The programme was initiated at CFTRI to enthuse rural children to pursue careers in science.
Four students each from five government schools, namely GHS Meghalapura, GHS Varakodu, GHS Puttegowdana Hundi, GHS Varuna, and GHS Siddaramanahundi, participated in the programme held last month.
Two-week programme
The two-week programme exposed students to experimentation, laboratory practices and state-of-the-art instruments. The students had an opportunity to get hands-on experience with machinery and equipment. Motivational lectures and demonstrations by the scientists of the institute invoked a positive response from the students.
In their own words, “It made them spend their vacation time very productively.”
The students visited most of the facilities in the institute and spent few hours every day at the R&D departments, a release said.
The programme provided food and transport for the children. The students had freedom to ask any questions and were encouraged to interact with scientists as much as possible. They were also encouraged to give lectures on the topics of their choice as to develop self-confidence, the release said. Inaugurating the programme, Ram Rajasekharan, director, CFTRI, urged the students to be curious and cheerful. He motivated them to pursue the subject which they felt tough stating his own example and advised them to put extra effort on the subject which they felt were difficult.
He thanked the parents and teachers for sending them to CFTRI to learn science.
On the concluding day, certificate presentation ceremony was held in the UNU conference hall. During the occasion, scientists, staff members, research scholars from CFTRI and headmistresses and teachers of participating government schools were present.
G.A. Krishna, chief scientist, presided over the function and presented certificates and memento to all participating students.
He motivated the students to unleash the potential in them and be bold enough to face the competition as they are the masters of their souls and captain of their destinies. He encouraged the students to choose science as a career.
The headmistresses thanked CFTRI for selecting their schoolchildren and providing them an opportunity to learn science with scientists.
Event exposed them to experimentation, lab practices and state-of-the-art instruments
